Stop euthanizing more than 85% of the dogs and become more rescue friendly.

Because they are NOT giving dogs a chance to be adopted or rescued by rescue groups. They recently had a pomerarian in the shelter (pictured) and several individuals were interested in the dog. But they euthanized the dog without giving it a chance. Most rescue groups realize that dogs that are in shelters need medical attention and will provide that needed help. Last year, this shelter took in 7,844 animals and of that number 6,122 were euthanized. Santa Rosa County, FL has NO Spay or Neuter Program to help with the cost. Something needs to be done--there is no reason why so many dogs should be euthanized. Why does the Santa Rosa Animal Control refuse to work with rescues and/or individuals who want to adopt and save a life. The only reason is the people in charge of the SR Animal Control are inhumane individuals. Please remove Interim Santa Rosa Animal Control Director Dale Hamilton and find someone qualified and compassionate. Having a Spay and Neuter Program like Escambia County would help with some of the issues. Please let them know that this is unacceptable!!!

UPDATE:

All of the information in this petition regarding intake and euthaniztion numbers came from the Santa Rosa Press Gazette. Below, you will find an email that I received through Change.org private message. She claims that I gave false information but the euthanization numbers came right from the local paper.

Dawn Hamilton sent you a private message on Change.org.

------------------------------------------- Petition: Santa Rosa County Animal Control, FL: Stop euthanizing more than 85% of the dogs and become more rescue friendly.

Hello, Ms. Marceau,

I'm a writer local to the Pensacola area, and I've done some investigation on this issue. As you have published some false information in your petition here at Change.org, I wanted to give you the opportunity to remove the petition before my written piece goes to print. If you choose not to remove it, I will be including in my piece that you have willingly and knowingly included false information in your petition and that you have misled the petition signers and the public in general. I will spell out in detail what false information you have included in your petition so that the public will know the truth. We cannot affect real change unless the entire truth is told, and it is my goal as a writer to present the truth.

UPDATE: Please go to this link to the article written in the paper. The article is below

A Pomeranian dog was recently dropped off at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium. According to witnesses, the woman was crying while she was turning in her grandmother's pet, claiming she could not keep it.

The small dog generated interest from several parties, according to Elyse Winters, who says she was interested in adopting the dog. She wrote a post about the dog on Facebook, which created some stir in the community. By the end of the day, there were five people interested in the animal.

Winters says the interested parties were ready to adopt the dog, regardless of any underlying health issues. She claimed that the Animal Shelter said the dog had to be evaluated before the dog would be available for adoption. The dog ended up being euthanized, according to Winters. She says she is heartbroken and she wants to know why willing citizens were not allowed to take home an unwanted dog.

"If I remember correctly, it was an older dog with some health issues," said Dale Hamilton, Santa Rosa County Animal Services interim director. "I'm not sure what the circumstances were. If it's the one that I was thinking of, it had some health issues."

Instead of the dog ending up available for adoption, Winters says it was euthanized, even with a line of people willing to bring it home and make it a family pet. She and others are demanding to know why Animal Services would not let them take it.

Hamilton said they typically hold on to animals for five days, evaluating their behavior before putting an animal up for adoption. They check to see if an animal shows signs of aggression around people or other animals. They also evaluate the incoming animals for health issues and signs of sickness.

"We just can't be adopting sick animals out to the public," Hamilton said. "We have to see if there's a threat to the public."

Hamilton says Animal Services is supported by a network of local veterinarians that donate their time to help care for the animals that end up at the shelter. They provide care for the animals for a variety of different ailments and conditions. The shelter provides animals with up-to-date shots and spays and neuters any adopted animal.

In a lot of situations, animals are euthanized, according to Hamilton. He said there's no specific time frame in which animals are put down. Each animal is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The shelter took in 7,844 animals last year and euthanized 6,122 of them, according to public records. The number of animals taken in by Animal Services is trending downward, over the past five years. Adoptions are also trending down, from 709 and 789 in 2008 and 2009 to 532 last year.

The kill rate at the shelter speaks for itself!! It doesn't matter if I live in this county or not!! I live in the United States of America where change happens when people stand up for what is right!! I am a US Army veteran and believe in all my rights under the Constitution for which I have defended. I have received threatening emails about this petition and stating that the petition was incorrect about the Pomeranian that was killed in that shelter. I pulled all of the information from the Santa Rosa Press Gazette except that the dog was put on Facebook. The information about that Pomeranian was on FB more than 1 week ago regarding trying to find an adopter or rescue to pull her from the shelter. So people were actively trying to get her out of the shelter even if she had health problems. I have volunteered in rescue for over 7 years. In the past, I have had as many as 10 foster dogs in my house at one time. Every year, I drive thousands of miles helping to transport shelter dogs that come from Southern shelters in MS, AL, GA, some from FL and other states. Last year alone, I logged well over 12,000 miles transporting shelter dogs for various rescue groups. I have gone into shelter pulling dogs for rescues that would have been otherwise euthanized. I know that there are some good compassionate people but if you have a kill rate like Santa Rosa County Animal Control then something is not right. I got a phone call at work once about a dog that was going to be euthanized as a biter that day. I called the shelter and they agreed to hold him til I got there. I drove 5 hours one way to rescue that poor dog. The dog was terrified and once he was out of the shelter, he never bit anyone and was adopted to a wonderful family. Santa Rosa County has NO Low Cost Spay and Neuter Program but yet your Animal Control vehicles are marked "Support Spay and Neuter". That is a travesty right there! Just down right false advertisement when the county does nothing to help "Support Spay and Neuter" and reduce the overpopulation of animals. Escambia County just got another $25,000 grant for their Spay and Neuter program (which has been all over the local papers!!!). Diane Marceau Frederick, MD Verified Over-The-Road Transport Volunteer